Sofa-bedstead



Sheets-Sheet '1.

R. W.--TAYLOR1 SOPA' BEDSTEAD.

No. 268,145. Patented Nov. 28. 1882.

N 0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2-.

R. W. TAYLOR.

SOFA BEDSTEAD.

Patented Nov. 28, 1882.

PETERSPhaIoLiIhonrwhen Wishingnll, D. c.

UNITED STATES P TENT ()FFICE.

ROBERT W. TAYLOR, OFSAN FRANGISGO, CALIFORNIA.

, SO FA-BEDSTEA D.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 268,145, dated November 28, 1889,

Application filed September 12, 1882. (N model.) i

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, ROBERTW. TAYLOR, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improved Sofa- Bedstead; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My. invention relates to the class of sofabedsteads, and to certain new and useful improvements therein, consisting in sundry details of construction, which will hereinafter be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a neat, convenient, strong, and durable sofabedstead, which object I attain by reason of the various improvements in construction I shall now explain.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section, showing one end up and the other down. Fig. 3 is a detail cross-section, showing drawer. Fig. 4 is a detail end view, showing bearings for hinged ends. Fig. 5 is a detail showing the folding half of the end supported on the back. Fig. 6 is a detail showing the two parts of the end closed up.

Arepresents the seat, having in front, at its ends, a wide and curved face-plate, a, Figs. 1, 6, 4, and set on ordinary legs, B, the rear ones of which extend beyond the seat, and have slotted top plates, 12, as shown in Fig. 1.

O is the back, hinged to the seat by hinges c. This back is adapted to be adjusted in any position by means of the ratchets D, Figs. 1, 3. These are hinged or pivoted under the back to bearings d, and extend down through slotted plates 1) to a pi'n, e, driven into the inner side of the leg,Fig. 1. The ends of these ratchets are made with a hook,o, to guard and limit the upward play of the ratchets. In these ratchets thus arranged there are two advantages. By means of thehooked end I dispense with the guard which has heretofore been used to inclose the bearingpin and prevent the ratchets from going too far, and in placing the bearin g'pins with which the ratchets engage lower down I am enabled to make the ratchets longer, and by carrying them through the slotted plates b provide a means for keeping them down to the pin, as they will come in contact with the rear end of the slot if they should rise.

ends there are three improvements.

Usually the pins are placed in the slotted plates 1), and the advantageis that unless provided with guards inclosing the bearing-pin they are liable to become entirely disengaged from said pin. Suitably-guided cords (not shown here) are connected with the ratchets 1), whereby in the usual manner they may be disengaged from the pins and the back adjusted. Upon the ends of the back 0 are raised blocks E, upon which the folding halves of the ends rest when opened out, as shown in Fig. 5.

F represents the heads or ends. These are fitted to the ends of the seat, their outer sides passing down behind the wide face-plates a, Fig. 1, which conceal their hinges or joints, as seen in Fig. 6. These ends are supported and hinged as follows: Bolted by one arm to ends of the back of the seat are irons G,having an elbow shape, Fig. 1. The other arm extends up by the inner sides of the ends and receives a rod or shaft, H, which passes through the ends from side to'side and is supported in a step or socket upon the inner side of the face-plates a, as shown in Fig. 4. These rods form hinges or centers upon which the ends may be lowered from a vertical to a horizontal position. By loosening the nuts on the ends of the rods and withdrawing them the ends may be readily taken out when desired. The upper arm of these sup portin g-irons is bent outward slightly, as shown in Fig. 4, to allow the covering or upholstering to pass between it and the woodwork.

Hinged to the inner edges of the ends F by hinges h are the folding ends F, adapted, when the back and ends are lowered, to fold over, as shown in Fig. 5, and rest upon the blocks E on the back, finding thereon a firm support. In connection with these folding The first is in the position of the hinges h in regard to the supporting-irons G, as shown in Fig. 1. They extend beside these irons, and by coming into contact with them limit the upward movement of the ends. The next is shown in Fig. 6, and consists in making the folding ends somewhat narrower than the main ends, whereby their outer faces shall not be flush, but a.

small angle will be left, as shown. The advantage of this is, in upholstering I can run a cord down in that angle, thus effectually confrom are curved plates J, which, when the endsv areraised, form a neatjointtherewith,as shown at one end of Fig. 2, and at all times inclose and conceal the internal mechanism by which the ends are operated.

I have thus far described the ends F as be- .ing adapted to be moved up or down. I will now describe the means for adjusting and supporting them at any desired angle.

Upon the inner surface of the sides of the seat, or upon extensions thereof at each end, are curved ratchets K, Figs. 1 and 2. The last or inner tooth of these is made into a long upwardly-extending point or stop marked t', Fig. 2.

To small irons L, upon the inner surface of the sides of the ends F, are pivoted pawls M, extending down to and engaging with ratchets K. Thesepawls have a small projection, m, to which cords are secured, as shown, for raising them. Theprojectionmisbentoutwardslightly away from the wood to preventthe cords from rubbing and wearing. Small pins a, driven in the ends,limitthe upward movement of the pawls. The operation of these pawls is shown in Fig. 2. One end is there raised, and the pawl is in the outermost notch, holding the end in position. By drawing on the cord the pawl is raised out of the notch, but is stopped by pin a in a position just sufficient to clear the teeth. As the end approaches the horizontal some provision must be made to prevent the pawl from passing beyond the ratchet, and thus failing to afford support to the end. For this purpose I have the long point or stop ion the inner end of the ratchet. The pawl is not raised high enough to clear this point, and its end, coming in contactwith it, is directed down into the notch, as shown at the other end of Fig. 2. In this position it can go no farther, and affords a strong support for the end.

My last improvement refers to the underlying drawer N, Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

Drawers are usual in connection with furniture of this class, and are ordinarily put in on cleats, as in any bureau or stand. There are two objections to the way in which drawers are now connected, which I seek to overcome.

The first is the binding of the drawer when operated, and the second is that no limit is fixed to its outward movement, and it therefore frequently happens that it is drawn entirely out, and has to be replaced with considerable trouble.

These 1 overcome by dispensing with guid- The last improvement .front of the seat,

ing-cleats, and by providing suitable stops both to secure it in place and to limit its movement.

The drawer N is provided with casters, and is inserted loosely under seat A. It cannot be pushed from under endwise, because the end plates, J, Fig. 1, are too low, and it cannot be pushed outin front, because, as shown in Fig. 3, the front plate of the seat is too low. Upon the drawer I have a knob, 70, which operates a button or stop, 1, upon the inside. When the drawer is in place I turn the stop I up inside the back of the seat, and thus the drawer is completely inclosed.

The sofa-bedstead will of course be mounted on casters, and can be rolled about. The drawer must accompany it, as it is confined underneath.

By turning down the stoplthe drawer may be readily pulled out, and all difficulty from binding avoided; but to limit the outward movement of the drawer to prevent it from being withdrawn entirely unless desired I form shoulders or stops 8 at each end, near its back,

Fig. 3. These, when the drawer is pulled out, come in contact with the back of the seat and prevent farther movement in that direction. When the drawer has to be taken out entirely I raise slightly its front, and thus release the shoulders from their contact.

If it should be found desirable to make the back (3 less clumsy in appearance, and give to it a finished look, I could make it of fine wood suitably carved in portions which show, and then put very thin upholstering upon it, either having short springs or dispensing with them.

In such a case, to compensate for the diminished thickness of the back, I would hinge it in proper manner to bring its surface upon a level with the seat, and thus the purchaser could have a soft or a hard bed at his pleasure.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a sofa-bedstead, the seat A, in combination with the ends F and the means for hinging them to the seat. consisting of the elbowsupporting irons Gr upon the back of the seat, and the shafts or rods H, passing through the ends and supported in said irons G and in the all arranged substantially as herein described.

2. In a sofa-bedstead, the seat A, having at each front end a high wide face-plate, a, in combination with the ends F and the means for hinging them behind the face-plates, consisting of the shafts or rods H, supported by irons G on the back of the seat and a socket on the inner surface of the face-plates, substantially as herein described.

3. In a sofa-bedstead, the seat A and back 0', having end blocks, E, in combination with the hinged ends F and the folding ends F, hinged thereto and adapted, when opened out, to rest in a horizontal position upon blocks E of the back, substantially as herein described.

IIO

IIS

4. In a sofa-bedstead, the seat A, elbow-supporting irons G, and shafts H, in combination with the swinging ends F, journaled on said shafts, and the folding ends F, hinged to ends F by hinges it, placed in position, as shown, to extend behind irons G to limit the upward movement of the swinging ends, substantially as herein described.

5. In a sofa-bedstead, the swinging ends F, in combination with the folding ends F, hinged thereto and made narrower than the ends 1*,

.that their outer edges or faces may not lie flush, but may form an angle, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

6. In a sofa-bedstead, the seat A, ends F, supporting-irons G, and shafts or rods H, upon which the ends are journaled, arranged and operating as shown, in combination with the curved ratchets K,having points or stops i, and the swinging pawls M, limited by pins 01, and operating to adjust and fix the ends at any inclination, substantially as herein de scribed.

:Inwitness whereof I hereunto set my hand. ROBERT W. TAYLOR.

Witnesses:

G.,W. EMERSON, J. H. BLOOD. 

